Help me spend my knife money!

T

Travis Fry

Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
489
Here's the deal: I've got $900-1000 that I've made from selling knives recently, and I have essentially 3 options for how to spend it. I thought I'd give my colleagues a chance to chime in on what they think is the best way to use it:

1) I can keep saving and get one of Wayne Coe's Moes grinders after I sell about 5 more knives. I currently use a Craftsman 2x42, and if you don't believe good things can be done with it, look here and here for proof otherwise. A 2x72 with variable speed would be a great improvement in any case, and I'll eventually get one anyway.

2) I can get a mini mill from HF, a belt drive conversion kit, and a few end mills and tools for relieving slipjoint liners and milling slots on guards for fixed blades. I might have enough left to build myself a rise and fall indicator if I can find one of those 20% off coupons.

3) I could spend it on minor tools and supplies like better leather for my sheaths, a rise and fall indicator, some set up to cut nail nicks, sandpaper, etc, etc, ad infinitum.

4) I could get a surface grinder (also with a little more saving).

What think ye, O Great Peanut Gallery?
 
Go for the 2x72. Better grinder, increased productivity, and then you'll be on your way to saving for the other tools on the list.
 
Why not make a list of things you need and things you want / would like to have. Have a section for home stuff: house payment / bills, tv, college fund-- Wants and needs. Then a knife making list, wants and needs. Assign each a number in order of importance. Take the top 3 or 4 highest numbered item and try to decide from there.

Hope this helps
 
i think maybe we should be asking on what you plan to be makin g
since you seemto be a maker of blades that are no more then 4-7 inch in length

do you want ot get into folders?
are you thinking about makign a bunch of hiden tang blades with slotted gaurds ?

do you do your own HT or are you sending out ?

the surface grinder would be the last on my list and the belt grinder maybe not the first

what is your next step
 
butcher_block said:
i think maybe we should be asking on what you plan to be makin g
since you seemto be a maker of blades that are no more then 4-7 inch in length

do you want ot get into folders?
are you thinking about makign a bunch of hiden tang blades with slotted gaurds ?

do you do your own HT or are you sending out ?

the surface grinder would be the last on my list and the belt grinder maybe not the first

what is your next step
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Listen to Butch. When I met him he had a Delta 1x42 and a $1000 Evenheat oven. I used to make fun of him about it, but then he explained that since HT was the most important part to him, that's where he spent the big $$. When you start looking at it that way to begins to make sense.

-d
 
Travis, keep saving. When you have enough to purchase a 2 X 72" grinder with variable speed, spend the money on it. The variable speed capability will help you, especially when you are making thinner folder blades. It's worth the money so keep saving. You are doing good work with what you have available.
 
I think you should blow it all at the bar. Or maybe in one disastrous evening at cards. A nice machine may last you 25 years, but regret will last forever. A real long term investment.

Barring that, I'd go for the grinder.
 
Another vote for the grinder.:thumbup:
 
Salem Straub said:
I think you should blow it all at the bar. Or maybe in one disastrous evening at cards. A nice machine may last you 25 years, but regret will last forever. A real long term investment.
Click to expand...
Hilarious, and true....
I'm over halfway done saving for my 2"x72" GIB W/VFD build, my first real knife tool so I'm kind of biased so I vote grinder. You can buy the Motor, VFD anf GIB for just about 900.00
 
Good thoughts. I'm trying to move toward slipjoints from fixed blades, and to do more guards and stick tangs. That leans me toward a mill. I really want variable speed and 2x72, and I think I might see the most improvement in my knives if I got the grinder. That leans me toward a grinder. I guess it's a choice between broadening my skills or deepening them.
 
I've pretty much got all the toys and make slip joint folders full blast, you do not want to be without a variable grinder.
Ken.
 
No, no...youre all way off...I say spend it on wine, women and song. On second thought, increased productivity via a new grinder does seem appealing...
Seriously, go for the belt sanders/grinders over the surface grinder. I think you will find the surface grinder's lack of versatility too restrictive. To be sure, it is a fine tool, but knifemaking (to me) is a freeform art and surface grinding is typically a rigid practice (thinking of the hours spent squaring up tooling components)...of course this is purely my subjective opinion.
 
if your happy with your grinds then put off the grinder
if you send out for HT then pass on the kiln
if you want clean holes for folders and the option to mill out one piece of SS for bolstered slippies
get the mini mill and (R8 tooling so later you can upgrade) and a nice littel vice an tooling package (little michene shop. com has the stuff)
 
Arakiel said:
No, no...youre all way off...I say spend it on wine, women and song. .
Click to expand...
Dude, join a band and you could get paid to have it all.

I'm married but my last band did get beer tickets... :D
 
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